US judge throws out Trump bid to halt Alaska Senate result
- A federal judge in the US has dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska's Senate election result.
- The suit argued a second candidate also named Dan Sullivan was siphoning votes from the Republican incumbent.
- Democrat Mary Peltola, who denies recruiting the second Sullivan, is hoping to flip the seat in Tuesday's midterms.
A federal judge in the United States has thrown out an unusual lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump's Justice Department that sought to stop Alaska's Senate election result from being certified if the Republican incumbent loses on Tuesday.
Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the case on Sunday, describing the proposed intervention as unworkable. She warned it could leave voters confused and give them a reason to stay away from the polls, adding that changing election rules so close to voting is strongly discouraged.
The suit centred on a quirk in the race: two candidates share the name Dan Sullivan. One is the Republican senator seeking re-election; the other is a lesser-known contender. The Justice Department wanted certification paused if the Democrat, Mary Peltola, wins, and it asked for a probe into how many people who backed the second Sullivan actually meant to vote for the senator.
Trump has said he personally ordered the legal action. He and the lawsuit alleged that Peltola recruited the second Sullivan to confuse voters. Peltola has denied deliberately recruiting him.
Why it matters beyond Alaska
Alaska is one of the states where Democrats are trying to take a Republican-held seat as they push to win a Senate majority. Control of Congress is at stake in Tuesday's midterms.
The case has raised concerns that Republicans may challenge defeats elsewhere. For Nigerians, the outcome matters beyond the US: Washington's balance of power shapes trade, visa and security partnerships that affect Nigeria, and any drawn-out election dispute in the world's largest economy can rattle global markets, including oil prices that feed into fuel costs at home.
For now, the judge's ruling means Alaska's result can proceed on the normal timetable if Peltola wins. The sources did not say whether the administration plans to appeal.
